A Practical Guide to Artist Coloured Pencils: Top Recommendations

Choosing the right set of artist coloured pencils can feel overwhelming. With so many options available, it’s difficult to know which will deliver the rich colours, smooth application and durability your artwork deserves. A poor choice can lead to frustrating breakage, colours that don't blend and finished pieces that fade over time.

This guide is designed to help you navigate the choices. As a Joybuy Product Recommendation Officer, my role is to provide clear, practical information to help you select the right tools for your creative projects, whether you're an art student, a dedicated hobbyist or a professional illustrator. We will look at key features to consider and highlight a few standout options available in the UK.

Choosing Your Ideal Art Pencils Set

Before looking at specific products, understanding a few key characteristics will help you make a more informed decision.

Understanding Pencil Cores: Wax, Oil and Pastel

The core, or 'lead', of a coloured pencil determines its performance. The three main types are wax-based, oil-based and pastel.

• Wax-based pencils are widely available and known for their smooth application and ease of blending. They can, however, be prone to 'wax bloom', a cloudy film that can appear over time on heavily layered work.
• Oil-based pencils have a slightly harder core, which allows for sharper points and less breakage. They layer beautifully without wax bloom and are often preferred for fine detail work.
• Chalk pastel pencils offer the rich, blendable texture of soft pastels but with the control and precision of a pencil. They are excellent for expressive work and can be easily smudged and blended, making them a favourite for portraiture and mixed-media art.

The Importance of Lightfastness

For artists who intend to display or sell their work, lightfastness is a critical factor. This term refers to a pigment's resistance to fading when exposed to light. A set of lightfast coloured pencils ensures your artwork remains vibrant for years. Ratings are often provided by manufacturers, typically using a star system or a standardised scale like the ASTM (American Society for Testing and Materials) or Blue Wool Scale. For professional drawing pencils, a high lightfastness rating is non-negotiable.

Selecting the Right Set for Your Needs

An art pencils set can range from a basic 12-colour tin to a comprehensive collection of over 100 pencils. For drawing pencils for students or those just starting, a well-curated set of 24 to 36 colours provides a good palette without being overwhelming. Professionals may prefer larger sets for a wider range of hues, but a smaller, high-quality set is often a better investment than a large, low-quality one.

Top Artist Coloured Pencil Recommendations

Based on their features, materials and suitability for different artists, here are our recommendations.

STABILO CarbOthello - Chalk-Pastel Pencil - ARTY+ - Tin of 12

Why It Stands Out: These chalk pastel pencils offer the best of both worlds: the rich, powdery texture of traditional chalks with the fine control of a pencil. The high pigmentation delivers brilliant colour and the lead can be blended or smudged with a finger or stump. They are also partially water-soluble, opening up further creative techniques.

Pros:

• High pigmentation for vibrant colour brilliance.
• Dry, dusty stroke is ideal for blending and smudging.
• Can be sharpened to a fine point for detailed work.
• Partially water-soluble for mixed-media effects.
• Durable wooden casing protects the fragile pastel core.

Who is it for: Artists who love the texture of pastels but require more precision for detailed work. It's an excellent choice for portrait artists, illustrators and those working on toned paper.

Faber-Castell Classic Colour Pencils, Assorted Colours, Tin of 24

Why It Stands Out: This set from Faber-Castell coloured pencils is a dependable workhorse. The pencils are designed for durability, featuring a special bonding process (SV) that makes the leads highly break-resistant. This makes them a practical choice for younger artists or for use in a busy classroom or studio.

Pros:

• Vivid and brilliant colours suitable for a range of projects.
• Special secural bonding (SV) process for high break-resistance.
• Hexagonal barrel prevents rolling and provides a comfortable grip.
• Made from wood sourced from certified sustainable forestry.
• Comes in a sturdy tin for easy storage and transport.

Who is it for: Art students, hobbyists and anyone in need of a reliable and robust set of coloured pencils for everyday drawing and colouring.

Faber-Castell Creative Studio Goldfaber Colour Pencil, Tin of 24 Pencils

Why It Stands Out: The Goldfaber range represents a significant step up in quality, bridging the gap between student and professional grades. The 3.3 mm lead is highly pigmented, allowing for intense colour laydown with minimal pressure. The formulation also provides good lightfastness, ensuring your artwork lasts.

Pros:

• Highly pigmented lead for outstanding colour brilliance.
• Excellent lightfastness for the price point.
• Smudge-resistant and water-resistant for clean, precise work.
• Smooth colour laydown is suitable for layering and blending pencils for drawing.
• Performs well on a variety of drawing surfaces.

Who is it for: Serious hobby artists and art students looking to elevate their work with a higher-quality pencil that offers features found in more expensive professional drawing pencils.

Looking for More Options?

If you're still exploring or need a different set size, our full collection of art colouring pencils offers a wider variety to suit every artist's palette. Browse the range to find your perfect match.

Explore Our Full Range of Art Colouring Pencils

Frequently Asked Questions About Artist Coloured Pencils

What is the difference between student and artist grade coloured pencils?

The primary differences lie in the quality of the materials. Artist-grade pencils use higher concentrations of finer pigments, resulting in richer colours and superior lightfastness. They also tend to have better-quality binders, which makes them smoother to use and blend. Student-grade pencils are more affordable and often have harder leads to resist breakage, but their colour intensity and permanence may be lower.

What are the main techniques for blending coloured pencils?

There are several effective methods for blending. Layering involves applying light layers of different colours on top of each other to create a new hue. Burnishing is a technique where you apply a light-coloured pencil or a colourless blender with heavy pressure to mix the layers underneath into a smooth, photo-realistic finish. You can also use solvents or special blending pencils for drawing to dissolve the binders and merge the colours.

Is it worth investing in a more expensive art pencils set?

This depends on your goals. For professional artists or anyone creating work for sale or display, investing in a high-quality, lightfast set is essential for archival purposes. For hobbyists and students, a good mid-range set like the Faber-Castell Goldfaber offers an excellent balance of performance and value. While more expensive pencils offer superior performance, you can still create beautiful art with a more affordable set.